The Heart of the Lotus
by PlotbunnyChariot
Summary: Iroh is a finalist in a pi-sho competition, but will his wisdom-or his tea-warm the other player's heart? Please read and review!


_The Heart of the Lotus_

"Guys! Over here!" Aang grinned and gestured wildly for the rest of Team Avatar to make their way to him through the crowd. Momo swayed from side to side on his shoulder before taking off and flapping over to Sokka, who was coming with Suki at his side. Toph ran and dodged through the crowd easily, with the advantage of her special sight. Katara and Zuko were together as well, and Aang smiled more at their evident happiness.

People had expected him to be torn up when they revealed that they were together, even himself, but as it turned out he only felt happier. He had truly wanted her happiness, since the start, and when he found that he and her would not accomplish that for either of them, he had been able to let her go. Now he was only happy she and Zuko had finally found their hearts' peace with each other.

Aang shook his head at Sokka's hawk that had, indeed, returned. As they approached, Sokka pet Hawkey under the chin and grinned at Aang's reaction. "Maybe I should rename him Boomerang," Sokka joked, "because he came back!"

Suki rolled her eyes exaggeratingly. "Sokka, try to tell more bad jokes about meat," she teased, remembering the play they'd been to long ago.

Even as he was opening his mouth for a retort, Toph cut in. "I agree with her, Sokka," she said dryly. "The meat jokes are bad enough; if you have to joke, at least try to restrain yourself to that kind."

"You guys having fun?" Katara laughed as she jogged up, Zuko at her side.

"You bet!" Aang replied as Momo settled back on his shoulder. "Come on, let's go; we don't want to miss it!"

Zuko agreed, "Uncle Iroh would be upset if we didn't show up in time, and anyway, I hear he's making some Jasmine tea for the occasion..."

"Did you just say, 'Iroh's Jasmine tea'? What are we waiting for? Let's GO!" Sokka dashed off, Hawkey flapping off his shoulder in surprise.

Aang did a facepalm. "Sokka!" He shouted towards his water-tribe friend, "you're going the wrong way!"

When they did make it to the center of the Earth Kingdom marketplace-and only just in time, thanks to Sokka-they found an elaborate pi-sho table set up with Iroh sitting at one end and his challenger at the other. On a small wooden stand next to Iroh, a large pot of tea was steaming; its smell was deliciously enticing, and the team didn't take long to approach.

"Ah, I am glad you could come. There is always room for more knowledge," Iroh said in response to their presence. His smiling countenance looked up at them. "Would you like some tea?" Their faces said it all, and he happily poured them each a cup.

"Have you heard much about your opponent, Iroh?" Sokka asked when he could stop drinking tea for long enough to speak.

Iroh nodded seriously. "Yes, they say he is a prodigy at pi-sho, that he is to become the new master of the game itself. He has played through all the northern half of the Earth Kingdom, and he seeks someone who will be a challenge for him. Other than that, I have not heard much; they do not wish us to know much about our opponent before we face them in this competition. I can only assume he has great wisdom, if he is so good at pi-sho. I hope we will have a very fruitful discussion over the game."

Aang cast a sidelong glance at his friends. The Pi-Sho Tournament in the Earth Kingdom was a big deal, and its competitors did not always respect the game like Iroh did. Granted, Aang had only heard so much about this new rival from the northern district of the competition, but most of what he had heard was that the prodigy was aggressive and prideful. He wasn't really sure where this was going to go with Iroh.

In any case, he didn't have much time to say anything, because the mysterious rival had just arrived.

Iroh glanced up to see a youthful man with dark black hair approaching to the cheers of dozens of fans. He studied the young man carefully, noting his sauntering walk and the way he held his head cocked higher than everybody else's. But more than that, Iroh studied his eyes; they seemed empty and full only of the man himself.

Nonetheless, Iroh stood up and politely greeted him. He knew not to ultimately judge a book by its cover, but he also knew that, sometimes, much of a man's character could be seen from his cover.

"Nice to meet you, General Iroh I believe?"

Iroh smiled gently. "Just Iroh now," he replied peaceably. "And you are?"

The man grinned broadly. "Name's Lee Mako," he confidently stated.

The two sat down to the pi-sho table, and Iroh immediately offered the man a cup of tea, but Lee denied. "'Tis a shame," Iroh said. "I thought a pi-sho expert such as yourself would like a cup of tea."

"Thank you all the same," Lee replied, sorting his personal pi-sho pieces without even looking at Iroh.

Iroh nodded slowly, taking in every detail of his opponent's pieces. "Very well," he replied quietly.

The referee came to look at both sets of pi-sho pieces to guarantee that each had the correct amount and did not have rigged sets. When he declared them satisfactory, each opponent was asked if he was ready.

Lee looked up, eyes full of confidence at the seemingly old and weak man he was going to face, and applied in the affirmative.

Iroh studied Lee for what seemed like a long time before replying, and Lee met his gaze. "I am ready," Iroh stated, eyes unreadable to the man in front of him but strangely clear to his nephew.

Zuko elbowed Katara and said under his breath, "You won't want to miss this match." Before she could ask why, it began.

Piece by piece, the two competitors played the game and blocked each other, each working with his own private strategy, each working with great skill. The biggest difference between them, besides age, was their respective personalities. Iroh talked the whole while, of this and that, hoping to engage the younger man in philosophical discussion or even to have some tea. Lee, however, blatantly ignored his elder in what even Zuko recognized as rude behavior and focused entirely on his pi-sho pieces.

Gradually, Lee's actions grew more and more tense, and Iroh's face fell sadder and sadder as he contemplated the moves on the board.

"You know," he began, "many people do not realize the significance of the lotus tile, but in reality this humble piece-"

"Shut up, old man!" Lee snapped, the fist he banged on the table shaking the pi-sho pieces so they shuddered in their places.

Momentary shock filled the crowd, and Iroh silently, sadly shook his head.

"My son," Iroh began again, this time not letting Lee interrupt, "you had lost this game before you even began." He placed his final, winning piece-the white lotus-on the board and stood up with a deep and gracious bow. "I pray that you will find your error, and from there grow to be a great man." With that, he left, and the shocked referee realized that the old man had indeed won.

Team Avatar, save Zuko, were shocked into silence, but they followed Iroh as he left, Momo screeching the whole time.

When they had gotten out of the thick hot rush of the crowd, Aang asked the question. "Iroh, what just...happened?"

Iroh's old, sad face looked gently at the young Avatar before replying. "The young man was too full of pride. He did not understand pi-sho as anything but a way to gain fame and money; he did not see the wisdom hidden behind it. I realize the competition in and of itself has the same perspective. I had hoped to change people like him through my advice, and while I did earlier in the game, Lee must find his own path." He glanced lovingly at Zuko before continuing. "I have planted the seed of the white lotus in his heart-the seed of humility. I pray he will nourish it and let it grow."

Aang blinked as Iroh left them to be alone for a time. When he turned back to the group, he saw his own thoughts reflected in their eyes. "Even if Iroh had lost that game," he said, "in all reality, he still would've won."

Zuko nodded. "He has the heart of humility; he knows his strengths but also his weaknesses, and he knows the balance. That's the spirit of a winner. That's all he will really ever need."

_Fine!_

:) :) :) An Iroh Fanfic :) :) :)


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